Planet Ice | Elland Rd | Completed 2020

SmartCity · 2009-07-15

According to Radio Aire new proposals are to be fully announced next week for a new Ice Rink to be located at Elland Road.

Leeds No.1

· #2 · Jul 15, 2009

Would be good to find out some details about this. A good addition to the city but a shame it's at Elland Road.

I hope the NGT system reaches Elland Road eventually, even if just that proposals strengthen the World Cup bid.

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SmartCity

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jul 15, 2009

Councillors consider plans for ice rink at Elland Road, Leeds

Published by Hannah Wooderson for 24dash.com in Local Government - Wednesday 15th July 2009 - 5:03pm

Proposals to build an ice-rink at Elland Road will be considered by senior councillors next week.

At a meeting of Leeds City Council’s executive board on Wednesday 22 July, councillors will consider an approach from one of the country’s biggest ice rink operators to build a rink at the Elland Road site near the football stadium.

Although in it’s early stages, the proposal could help kick-start a master plan to regenerate that part of south Leeds and facilitate an early start to work on the western end of a new loop road which would relieve traffic congestion on Elland Road.

The new road will also strengthen Leeds’s bid to secure Host City status for the World Cup 2018 as it would form part of the environmental improvements needed around the Elland Road site to meet the criteria to host matches.

The ice rink operator currently operates 8 ice rinks across the UK and runs educational sessions for schools at off-peak times. The Leeds proposal would be available for ‘pay-as-you-skate’ customers and the venue could have a resident ice hockey team with up to 2000 seats for spectators.

Councillor Andrew Carter, Leeds City Council’s executive board member with responsibility for city development, said: “Although this is only a proposal, even at this early stage the benefits that such a development will bring to south Leeds and the wider city are clear.

“It will kick-start our plans to regenerate the Elland Road site, bring jobs to the area and a permanent city ice rink will fill one of the few remaining gaps in the city’s sporting infrastructure, at no cost to the council. In the middle of a recession, it is also a welcome opportunity for investment in an area of the city which has long been identified as being in need of regeneration. The proposals certainly merit careful consideration.”

If it goes ahead, the ice rink development, which will have its own dedicated parking, could kick-start redevelopment which would ultimately provide 2,750 parking spaces, the new loop road and a new bus terminus and park and ride facility.

Members of the council’s executive board will be asked to approve the proposals from the applicant and grant the company a period of six months exclusivity to progress its ideas for the development.

The full report will be presented to the Leeds City Council’s executive board on Wednesday 22 July. The meeting begins at 1pm and will be held at the Leeds Civic Hall. Advance copies of the report are available by calling the council press office on 0113 2243602.

http://www.24dash.com/news/Local_Go...rs-consider-plans-for-ice-rink-at-Elland-Road

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TonyYeboah

· #4 · Jul 15, 2009

I think it's a great idea. You can't have everything in the city centre and an ice rink is the kind of thing you drive to and park at. Plus it ought to attract further attractions

If I have any misgivings, it's that ER, CD and HUV are all competing to attract these fringe amenities, and I don't think there's enough to go round. For example, a cinema could open at ER along with a few chain cafes to take advantage of the families there skating, but wouldn't CD benefit more from new leisure facilities?

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TonyYeboah

· #5 · Jul 15, 2009

Probably Planet Ice, by the way

http://www.planet-ice.co.uk/

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Val Verde

· #6 · Jul 15, 2009

It was first mooted last December that Planet Ice could be interested at opening an ice rink in Leeds. http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=236033&page=75

'SELBY is in a two-horse race with Leeds to get an ice rink built in the town.

Representatives of Planet Ice and Silver Blades, which operates ice rinks throughout the country, met Selby Council leader Mark Crane to discuss any development. It was initially feared that Planet Ice would put the plans on hold because of the economic situation, but Coun Crane said the company was still keen for a rink to be built. But it revealed that the company is also looking at Leeds as a possible site and has said it is only going to build one rink.

Coun Crane said: “We had a positive meeting and the company are looking at a site in Selby but are also interested in Leeds. But they won’t be going for both, so our job is to suggest a location to them which would be available.”

Coun Crane said the council did have a location in mind, although he would not reveal where it was. However, he did say it was in the town centre.

Another meeting will now take place before Christmas, hopefully in the next two weeks, when the size of the site and what Planet Ice’s requirements for it are, will be discussed.

Coun Crane said: “I was very pleasantly surprised in their positive attitude towards coming to Selby, but if we’re going to do it we need to get a move on.”

Currently, the closest ice rinks are in Doncaster and Hull. Both Leeds and York operate seasonal venues, although these are only open for a few weeks each year. Planet Ice and Silver Blades operate ice rinks across the country including at Altrincham, near Manchester, and Cannock, in Staffordshire; Basingstoke, in Hampshire; Cardiff; Coventry; Gosport, near Southampton; Hemel Hempstead, in Hertfordshire; the Isle of Wight; Milton Keynes; and Peterborough, in Cambridge-shire.'

Like Leeds No1 I would prefer it if it was closer to the city centre imo and I wonder what made Planet Ice choose Elland Road over say Birstall Retail Park or near XScape in Castleford and could this affect the future viability of the Ice Cube in Millennium Square? At least it should at least be some sort of development to occur in this end of town and what is this western loop road?

Does anyone know where this rink will go in relation to the stadium (the Greyhound stadium site perhaps) and I presume this stadium could potentially host ice sport events such as ice skating and ice hockey? Does Ken Bates have anything to do with this scheme and when it would commence construction?

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-City Of Bradford-

· #7 · Jul 15, 2009

Leeds is getting an ice rink?! I'm devasted. The ice rink and the imax is the only thing Bradford has that Leeds hasn't.

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Bradley Hardacre

· #8 · Jul 15, 2009

Excellent news. Something was needed to make a real start on the regeneration of the area around Elland Road (ignoring the Bates motel scheme). I get depressed passing it on the train and seeing the ancient West Stand across an expanse of weed-strewn wasteland. Like TY, I'm not unhappy that this is proposed for Elland Road - I guess most customers will want to rock up with a carload of kids and go home after grabbing no more than a quick burger. An improved general area will be a big plus for the city's World Cup bid.

I doubt that Bates or the owners he claims not to know will be involved financially as most of the land around the stadium is council-owned. He would no doubt be involved in consultations as a key stakeholder (in the political sense) in the overall redevelopment.

I'm surprised they're only looking at 2k seats if they want an ice hockey team or other spectator events. I know it isn't a hugely supported sport but I'd have thought maybe 4-5k. Still, I suppose Planet Ice know their own business.

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Leeds No.1

· #9 · Jul 15, 2009

I doubt it would affect the viability of ice skating in Millennium Square, because Millennium Square is far more accessible than Elland Road (esp. for students). It is also very well used and proves there is no reason why there couldn't be two ice rinks in the city at the same time. I've always thought that the Christmas markets should be at Clarence Dock so that the ice rink can be at Millennium Square during December as well as Jan/Feb/March, or vice versa.

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MattN

· #10 · Jul 15, 2009

Indeed, for the last two years there has been a rink in the Old Market Square in Nottingham, as well as the National Ice Centre at the other end of the city centre. The rink in the square has been very popular despite (as far as I know) being more expensive, no doubt due to the novelty value. Can't see why this wouldn't work in Leeds even if the Millennium Square rink came first in this case, especially if the permanent rink is to be located some distance away outside the city centre. Not too sure the idea that an ice rink needs to be somewhere you drive to and park at, the National Ice Centre has no dedicated parking, just the usual city centre car parks dotted about.

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Leeds No.1

· #11 · Jul 15, 2009

I think the council should be doing more to encourage better use of existing destinations. Why not recommend the ice rink proposal is moved to a site near Clarence Dock, or HUV so that they are succesful. It's better to make a success of what we have first before trying to create new destinations like Elland Road.

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TonyYeboah

· #12 · Jul 16, 2009

Bradley Hardacre said:
I'm surprised they're only looking at 2k seats if they want an ice hockey team or other spectator events. I know it isn't a hugely supported sport but I'd have thought maybe 4-5k. Still, I suppose Planet Ice know their own business.

Hopefully it will be expandable in the event that ice hockey takes off. There aren't that many teams getting 2,000 or more, even in the top flight

Hull only play in a 2,000 capacity venue, and that doubles as an arena for the city and has hosted the Killers, Morrisey, Keane etc.

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El Supremo

· #13 · Jul 16, 2009

TonyYeboah said:
Hopefully it will be expandable in the event that ice hockey takes off. There aren't that many teams getting 2,000 or more, even in the top flight

Hull only play in a 2,000 capacity venue, and that doubles as an arena for the city and has hosted the Killers, Morrisey, Keane etc.

I imagine it would be expandable as it is a possibility that ice hockey does take off in the city (e.g. good rivalries should start with Hull and Sheffield). IIRC Nottingham, Belfast, Coventry, Sheffield and maybe Newcastle all have average attendances above 2,000 with 2 or 3 above 4,000.

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MarkJF

· #14 · Jul 17, 2009

*-City Of Bradford-* said:
Leeds is getting an ice rink?! I'm devasted. The ice rink and the imax is the only thing Bradford has that Leeds hasn't.

I am glad, the last reason to venture into Bradford will soon be gone. I am not 100% sure but the rink appears not to have changed since my debut there in 1977. It is a dump.

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TSRJames

· #15 · Jul 17, 2009

Leeds No.1 said:
I think the council should be doing more to encourage better use of existing destinations. Why not recommend the ice rink proposal is moved to a site near Clarence Dock, or HUV so that they are succesful. It's better to make a success of what we have first before trying to create new destinations like Elland Road.

LN1,

But the whole basis of the Elland Road Development Masterplan is to create a sports and leisure quarter around the stadium, especially when we have bid to be a host city for the 2015 RU WC and FIFA WC 2018. This would be a great and welcomed addition to the plan. Also, as other people have said, not everything has to be in the city centre. Developments like this should be spread around the city. I lived in Solihull for 8 years not too far away from Solihull Ice Rink, and it was always packed – a year round attraction. It wasn’t in the centre of Brum or Solihull. ER is easy to get to and has good bus links (train station could be possible and something that is still being looked at as part of the ERDM). I think it’s the perfect site.

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Bradley Hardacre

· #16 · Jul 17, 2009

As the council document makes very clear, the site is a highly prominent gateway to Leeds as viewed from both road and rail. The current site looks dreadful and does no favours to a city that has ambitions of making a real impact on the European stage. A well-planned site, improved stadium and other leisure facilities such as the ice rink would give a much better impression. Do we want to funnel all leisure traffic to the city centre? Elland Road is a convenient place to get to for many with its motorway links and has potential for public transport too (which I hope will be realised).

I'm not expecting any great architectural quality. I suppose it will be a basic tin shed with a more appealing frontage but I hope they do design it with a bit of future spectator expandability in mind.

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Val Verde

· #17 · Jul 18, 2009

Does anyone have any recollection of the Ice Rink and bowling alley which formerly existed on Kirkstall Road until it had closed and latterly became Yorkshire Television's news studio (and why did it close down)? What was that like out of interest (presumably typical 1960's municipal ice rink)?

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STOPGO

· #18 · Jul 18, 2009

El Supremo said:
I imagine it would be expandable as it is a possibility that ice hockey does take off in the city (e.g. good rivalries should start with Hull and Sheffield). IIRC Nottingham, Belfast, Coventry, Sheffield and maybe Newcastle all have average attendances above 2,000 with 2 or 3 above 4,000.

I can't understand why you keep banging on about ice hockey, the game sucks. It will never take off in this county or this country. If you want to watch it bugger off to Cardiff or Nottingham.

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Leeds No.1

· #19 · Jul 23, 2009

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_yorkshire/8163085.stm

Ice rink plan to regenerate city
Ice skating
The proposed ice rink would seat 2,000 people

Plans to build an ice rink which could help regenerate part of Leeds are being considered by the city council .

The council has been approached by a company that wants to build a 2,000-seat rink on a site near the football stadium on Elland Road.

The development would help kick-start a plan to regenerate that part of south Leeds, the council said.

The rink would be open on a "pay-as-you-skate" basis and would also have a resident ice hockey team.

The plans are being recommended for approval and will be considered by the council's executive board at its meeting later.

Councillor Andrew Carter said: "Although this is only a proposal, even at this early stage the benefits that such a development will bring to south Leeds and the wider city are clear.

"It will kick-start our plans to regenerate the Elland Road site, bring jobs to the area and a permanent city ice rink will fill one of the remaining gaps in the city's sporting infrastructure, at no cost to the council.

"In the middle of a recession, it is also a welcome opportunity for investment in an area of the city which has long been identified as being in need of regeneration."

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aviator

· #20 · Jul 23, 2009

And an update:

Leeds' Elland Road ice rink plans approved

Published Date: 23 July 2009

PLANS to create an ice rink at Elland Road have received the full backing of senior councillors in Leeds. As reported in the YEP last week, the council has been approached by a firm wanting to build and operate a 2,000-seat rink in the city.

Details of the company involved are being kept secret - but the rink would be open to customers on a "pay as you skate" basis and would also have a resident ice-hockey team.

Senior councillors gave the go-ahead to the proposals, included in a report discussed at yesterday's meeting of the Executive Board.

The report reads: "The acting chief recreation officer is supportive of the company's proposal to locate an ice rink in Leeds, believing that this will fill one of the few remaining gaps in the city's sporting infrastructure, and be provided at no cost to the council."

However, some councillors expressed fears that the new venue would have a negative impact on the annual ice rink at Millennium Square.

But Coun Andrew Carter, executive member for city development, replied: "This is a massive opportunity for us. We've been approached by them (the firm] to come to our city and we should be seeking permanent facilities of this sort for the city of Leeds."

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